Adrian’s Matt Clark commits to MSU baseball team

This fall, the Adrian High School junior made a verbal commitment to play NCAA Division I college baseball for the Michigan State Spartans.

“It’s a dream come true,” Clark said. “You always want it to happen, coming up, growing up as a kid.”

Clark gave his verbal commitment to the Spartans after a whirlwind courtship by the university’s baseball program. According to Adrian baseball coach Greg Jackson, it was just this past summer when the Spartans first saw Clark pitch in an American Legion tournament in Midland, and they must have liked what they saw from the 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher.

“When you’re young, and you’re able to go in and compete with kids that are older than you, that’s a way to get scouts’ attention,” Jackson said.

Michigan State wasted no time letting Clark know they wanted him in a Spartan uniform, but according to Jackson, it wasn’t just his talent on the field in which Michigan State was interested. It was his personal makeup, as well.

“They were looking for character,” Jackson said. “They made a decision pretty quickly on him, which is an easy decision to make when you look at all the factors, physically and mentally.“It’s a really good decision on their part.”

Clark’s fastball has been clocked around 87 to 88 miles per hour, and according to Jackson, he has a little sink on the pitch. He can throw both a two-seam and a four-seam variety of fastball and has a changeup and curveball in his arsenal.

“His curveball is a real nasty pitch with a lot of break on it,” Jackson said.

Clark has also been praised by his coach for his work ethic.

“If this was basketball, we’d call him a gym rat,” Jackson said. “He works tremendously hard. He’s a baseball kid. He spends a lot of time, money and energy to make himself a baseball player.”

That work ethic seems to extend to the classroom for Clark, who entered the 2013-14 school year with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average. This academic semester all of Clark’s classes are Advanced Placement International Baccalaureate classes, courses through which he can earn college credits.

“He’s just the highest caliber kid.” Jackson said. “Great student, International Baccalaureate and athletically so much upside.”

Clark chose Michigan State over Toledo and Division II Hillsdale College, both of which also made offers. Michigan, Duke, and other Big Ten and Mid-American Conference schools had expressed interest in him, as well.

“I wanted to stay close to home.” Clark said of his decision. “I just felt like they were the right fit. I liked their facilities and all they had to offer for me, so it was a pretty easy pick.”

Even though Clark has his future college plans laid out in front of him, his current high school season is just around the corner, and Clark will be counted on tremendously, not just on the mound, but in the batters’ box, as well. He is currently slated to be the Maples’ No. 1 pitcher and will also be expected to fill the third or fourth slot in the batting order. He will play shortstop for Adrian during games in which he doesn’t pitch.

The Maples, with just two seniors expected on the roster, will also look for Clark to fill a leadership role.

“Now he’s got to take the next step,” Jackson said. “Not just to be a good player, but to be that leader for us. He’s going to be one of our leaders on and off the field.”

The leadership role is one that Clark, who has been playing varsity ball since his freshman season, seems eager to embrace.

“Last year they counted on me a lot,” Clark said. “So I think I’m ready.”